San Francisco, February 5th 2000

Sara pulled her phone out of her belt clip and glanced at the name on the screen. It read G. Grissom.

A year. That's how long it'd been since they'd talked last but two years since she'd last seen him. He'd rang her to update her on his mother's condition. She'd got better but as he'd feared, he had to stay in Vegas to care for her. So much had happened since then. Sara had started working at the SFPD Crime Lab and was a CSI II. She's thrown herself into her work since Grissom had left and had a lot to show for it.

"Sidle." She answered as if she didn't know who it was.

"Sara? It's Gil Grissom." It was good to hear his voice again.

"Grissom? Oh, what a surprise! We haven't talked in like a year, I was beginning to think you'd forgotten about me." He smiled when he chuckled.

"And how could I forget about you exactly? How are you?"

"I'm fine, working at SFPD, CSI II, I'm doing great. How about you, how's your mother?"

Grissom felt his breath catch. "She…she passed away a few weeks ago. Triple heart attack. I'm sorry, I was going to call and tell you but work's been really busy and with funeral arrangements and everything."

"Griss, you're rambling. I'm sorry about your mother. I really am." They stayed silent for a while and then Sara spoke again. "So work's been busy huh? Same here. I just had my first quadruple homicide. Is it weird that I got a buzz off it?"

Grissom chuckled again "No, it's not weird. I saw you on the T.V. about that case, you haven't changed much."

"If you only knew" she thought. "I suppose not. Not to be rude, but I'm thinking you didn't just call me to tell me I hadn't changed. What's up Griss?"

"No, you're right, I need to ask a favour of you."

"Go head, I'm all ears. As long as it's not something strange like you wanna do an experiment on me or something."

"Yeah, very funny. Well, something happened a few days ago at work and a rookie got shot because the CSI that was shadowing her left her at the scene alone. She's in intensive care but I need to have an internal investigation done, I was wondering if you could do it because I need an impartial judge. What do you say?"

"Er…sure, I mean I need to sort some stuff out first but I don't see why not. I've got some holiday time saved."

"Some? If I know you, and I think I do, you've got more than 'some' holiday time. I bet you've got at least two month's worth."

"Ooh, so close, it's actually three." She giggled. It was nice to talk to him like the old days again. He laughed and sounded happy.

"So you'll come? Great! Hey, don't worry about accommodation, you can stay at mine, unless that'd be weird for you." He remembered back to the last time they'd been in the same room together.

"Why would it be weird. We're friends, right?"

"Yeah, friends. Ok, well, I need to get back to work now but call me when you have flights arranged. I need you here as soon as possible I'm afraid."

"Well Griss," she laughed, "Put the phone down and I can call the airport and get my ticket. I'll see you soon. Bye." She flipped her phone shut and rested it against her head. Gil Grissom. The enigma. Would it be awkward to see him again? Especially as he didn't know. Rooting in her address book, she picked up her house phone and called the airport for the soonest flight to Vegas. Once she had a ticket booked for the next day she rang her friend, Carrie, to ask a favour.